Blue Skies and Big Buds

After two days of howling winds we decided to walk yesterday afternoon to the Sackler Museum for a program. Unfortunately the speaker didn’t arrive because of the storm so the program was canceled - but no one bothered to tell us! Around the Sackler Gallery the buds on the trees are about to burst open. Last year they did bloom early only to be frozen out by an ice storm the following week. So this morning when we ambled down in the same direction, we wondered if any of the buds made any headway. Not quite! But some of the little bulb flowers are really taking shape - especially in the beds that face the south. You could see some wind damage along the way - several lamp post lanterns were just hanging on tilted to the side. There was a large tree on the mall that lost a huge branch. But the skies were a beautiful blue and this is my husband’s favorite time of year. Every day brings more color and growth. In the US Botanuc Garden the daffodil beds were about to burst. So this will probably be the week for major transformation. Hopefully the ice will stay away this year. 

Springtime on the Mall

It's been a while since we walked on the Mall. The last time was before Christmas to see the Capitol Christmas tree. Now the tree is coming down and it hardly felt like winter. All along the way there were signs of spring everywhere. The birds were rustling about in front of the US Botanical garden, and the flowering trees were in full bloom in front of the air and space museum. The long shadows gave away the winter calendar, but everything else was decidedly another time of year. The cherry blossoms were out, but where were the crowds typically flocking around them? On the way back through the garden pond, a pair of ducks were feasting on whatever they found in the muddy water. He was keeping a keen eye out for her as the children tried to get a bit too close. It was a lovely walk and one less winter month to endure - which was one of the biggest reasons we left the Midwest. I could take this kind of winter anytime!